Rivals sort supremacy in World Cup showdown
But the danger with this is that interhemisphere tests between World Cups are not a true barometer of anything. The reality is that by November, the southern hemisphere sides are clinging on physically and mentally after 10 solid months at the coalface.
The All Blacks were proof of that — showing obvious signs of fatigue in their final test in Paris. They had no real snap to their game in much the same way that when Wales were here in June, they didn’t have enough in their tank to genuinely put the All Blacks under pressure at any stage.
Just as the southern teams struggle in November, so the northern teams have their issues in June. This pattern is not new. England beat the All Blacks in December 2012, took them to the wire at Twickenham in November 2013 and seven months later, they were beaten three times in New Zealand — properly thumped in the last test when they had just about nothing left to give.
It’s just not wise, then, to make hard and fast, sweeping conclusions outside of World Cups and that’s why keeping England and the All Blacks apart until then will create more interest.
Some truths have clearly emerged. England and Ireland are good teams. They are well-coached, have depth and understanding of what they are trying to do. South Africa are in trouble — they are not well coached and don’t have a good idea of what they are trying to do.
Beyond that, though, it’s hard to be definitive and judgement is best reserved until the World Cup, which is the only time that teams from both hemispheres come together at the same stage in their respective seasons. It is the only time when there is no obvious, embedded advantage to any team and as a result, it is the right time to judge.
And that’s why it would make sense for New Zealand and England to avoid each other until 2019. Let the debate about who is best to escalate for another three years and then find a definitive answer in Japan.